ScrapHappy Saturday - Last Pink Day

It's the last pink Saturday.  I'll be sad to see this color go, but another year is wrapping up.  There may be time for just a few more baby log cabin blocks.  Though everything is put away from having company last week, it shouldn't take too long to get everything out again and make a lovely fabric mess.  I am off to a bit of a late start.  I was out late going to a barbershop contest with Kurt, but today looks wide open.  Tomorrow is the day for my race, so I'd better get busy early today.  What progress did your pink scraps make this month?  Misterlinky is below, please share with us all.

ScrapHappy Saturday - Painting the Town Pink

My sewing room is temporarily a guest bedroom.  I do have these string blocks in progress.  I might be able to remove the paper and do some trimming this weekend.  I might also try to get caught up on my binding backlog.  Somewhere there is a nice stack of tiny log cabin blocks.  I'll dig them out as soon as the sewing room is hosting sewing again.  First though, I think that we are going to the zoo and then cooking something on the grill.  It is suddenly very fall like here.  I am hoping that my morning run will be enjoyable.  Next week is the half marathon.  Just one more long run to go.   Until then, please share all of your projects so that we can all enjoy your parade of pink happiness.

ScrapHappy Saturday Parade of Pink

Though I usually tend toward "fall" colors for October, I must admit that I am enjoying working with pink this month.  I have big drawers and little drawers for my scraps.  With two girls, pink has been one of my big drawers for a while now.  I feel like I am making a dent though.  How is your pink progressing?  Misterlinky is below.  Please share with us all.  I'm off on a run first thing this morning.  Just two more weeks until my half marathon, so every run counts.

Orphan Blocks Again

I am digging deep into the orphan block bin.  Anything that doesn't get used up will be turned into more crumbs or strings.  With company coming, the clearing out is highly motivated.  I did some more organization, hanging and labeling finished flimsies to be quilted later as I broke down the quilting machine to set up a bed again in the guest bedroom.  I was amazed at how much dust quilting generates.  The whole process had me sneezing.  

While I was sewing on Sunday, I found these extra test blocks of Bonnie Hunter's Pineapple Blossom pattern that I use to make a green and brown baby quilt for a very organic baby shower gift.  It was a huge hit!  I think it was 8 years ago though, so it was time to do something with the extras.  So with a quick layer of thinsulate and some simple quilting and binding, I now have two new pot holders to use in the kitchen.  

Sunday Scrappy Explosion

I'm still digging up old projects and blocks to turn into finished flimsies.   These framed four patches were almost ready.  Just a couple of hours ironing and trimming and they are ready to come together.  It is amazing how many random block collections I have abandoned over the years.  Getting them finished up feels very virtuous.  Hopefully I'll be able to start something new soon instead of continuing to finish off old projects.  That will be fun!

I've been playing with the idea of using Inklingo for my next hand piecing project.  I think I downloaded it once before, but never followed through.  I printed out a few test pages and figured out how to combine background and main color swatches onto one page.  That is when the printer stopped working.  The cable went out a couple of weeks ago and the wifi routers have been acting strangely since then.  It is supposed to be working again now, so I will try to print out a few test blocks this afternoon.  Does anyone else have experience with hand piecing?  Any tips or suggesions would be very much appreciated. 
I'm linking up with Oh Scrap! and with Slow Stitching Sunday today.  

ScrapHappy Saturday - Pretty in Pink

A new month means a new color here at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  I can't wait to dig into this giant pile of pink scraps.  I'm off for a long run right first.  My half-marathon is at the end of this month and I have just a few more long training runs to go.  I am hoping that when I get back, the water is still working.  We are under a boil water notice right now, and the pressure has been really low since a water main break yesterday.  After a week of heavy rain from an unnamed tropical low sitting off of the coast, the system has finally been overwhelmed.  It was especially surprising after we made it through Irma so well.  Watching anxiously as Nate heads toward the gulf, it has been quite a year for storms.  I hope that you are staying safe through it all.  Misterlinky is below, please share your progress and plans for October. 

Spring Cleaning

Fall in Florida feels a lot like spring did when I lived up north.  Beautiful weather is right around the corner and spring cleaning is in full swing.  Spring cleaning for normal people might involve mops and brooms, but for quilters it is so much prettier!

I am still digging into the orphan bin.  These monochromatic 4 and 16 patch blocks will go with a growing set of leaders and enders.  I'm thinking of choosing two or three colors to go together to make several quilts. 

I was thinking of maybe pink, teal and orange?  Maybe blue green and purple?  Or I could go complementary and do blue and orange together in one quilt and yellow and purple in another?  Each quilt needs 80 blocks total, 40 each of 16 patches and 4 patches.  I think I'll just work on collecting about 20 of each color while I ponder the choices. 
The main harvest though was LOTS and LOTS of mixed color squares.  With a bit of sewing and sorting I was able to bag up enough units for three quilts.  Those will be ready and waiting when I am in the mood for some power sewing.

Here is the backing for Running Zone, which I just realized was originally called running stitches.  A little of this and a bit of extra whatever came together for a creative and colorful smorgasbord.  Best of all, lots of oddballs are out of the deep stash.  The purple was part of Anna's toddler quilt.  The flowers and the border print were part of Sydney's nursery.   

Pretty in Pink

As many rainbow scrap quilters have already surmised, the color for October will be pink.  Hard to believe that October is already here.  Just two more months to get your rainbow scrap blocks finished up so you can work on coming up with new projects for next year. 

 At some point in the past, I ordered some running fabric.  I'm sure it was back when I was running marathons about 7 years ago.  I finished up the blocks before deciding that they were too bright. 

They ended up in the orphan block bin where they languished for ages.  Finally, I pulled them out again and sewed them together into a top.  Bright or not, finished is the best kind of quilt.  

Then came the scrounging for backing fabric.  This seemed like a perfect chance to use up lots of bits and pieces.  I won't quilt this for now.  Kurt's dad is coming to visit in a couple of weeks, and I will have to break down the quilting frame and set up something resembling a guest room again.  Still, If I get the backing fabrics put together, this quilt can be ready for the next time I get some quilting motivation.  Hopefully it won't be the next time a hurricane hits.  

Forward Progress

 Last Sunday I put together these crumb blocks with a simple navy sashing.  I think I will add an outer border of the same fabric and then maybe some more crumbs.

Postage Stamp blocks were next on the list.  These were all leftover from finished quilts of long ago.  It is amazing that as many different fabrics as there are in these blocks, I still ended up with the same fabric next to each other repeatedly.  

 As part of my continuing quest to clear out orphans and extras, I quilted up this little table topper made from pinwheels of waste triangles.

 Then there is the continuing slow and steady binding progress.  I think this is number three of the hurricane finish parade.  These orange peels were appliquéd and then hand quilted.  After the binding backlog is taken care of, I'll need a new hand quilting project to work on.

Because it is Sunday, I'm going to link up with Oh Scrap! and Slow Stitching Sunday.